Atlantic Voices

Atlantic Voices, Volume 7, Issue 05 – May 2017
During his campaign, Donald Trump openly questioned the usefulness of the Alliance, in addition to speaking friendly about Vladimir Putin. This alarmed some of his NATO partners, especially those in Eastern Europe. What kind of foreign and defence policy can they expect from the new U.S. President? 100 Days after his inauguration, what can be said about President Trump’s policies in these fields? How do they affect the Transatlantic relationship?
The first article argues that, so far, the Trump Administration’s foreign policy is characterized by confusion rather than coherence. In the second article, the author argues that despite the “America First” rhetoric, the American foreign policy under President Trump can at this point still be seen as fairly conventional.
CONTENTS
Trump in the White House: 100 Days of Confusion
Mr. Philip Christian Ulrich attempts to discern what the defining features of President Trump’s foreign policy will be. This is no easy task considering that Donald Trump promised his electorate unpredictability during his campaign, a promise he seems intent to keep.
100 Days of "America First"
Mr. Zebulon Carlander looks at whether the actions undertaken by the Trump Administration during its first 100 days in office are in line with the promises Donald Trump made as a candidate during his presidential campaign. How is Trump putting “America First”?
https://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-trumps-first-100-days

Atlantic Voices, Volume 7, Issue 02 – February 2017
Article 5 is the backbone of NATO. In a time of (potential) threats coming from different directions, how to ensure solidarity within NATO? Adding to the urgency of finding common approaches is a phenomenon that is spreading throughout the member states, namely the rise of populism and nationalism. Combined with anti-establishment rhetoric it challenges the premises of the post-1945 values-based international liberal order, and can as such also pose a threat to NATO.
The first article looks at the upcoming French elections, that could potentially have profound consequences for NATO-France relations, as well as for France’s solidarity with other Alliance members. In the second article, the trans-Atlantic values underpinning solidarity within NATO are under scrutiny. What are the trans-Atlantic values exactly and are they being upheld by all member states?
CONTENTS
France and NATO: More of the Same, Or a Shock?
Mr. Martin Michelot analyzes the views on of the five main candidates in the French elections on defense spending and NATO. He provides different scenarios for France-NATO relations, depending on which candidate wins the elections on either April 23 or May 7, 2017.
Our Shared Values
Mr. John Jacobs looks at the shared values that underpin solidarity within the Alliance. What is specifically meant when we use the term “trans-Atlantic values”? And are these values really (still) upheld by all members of NATO, or do we see divisions within the Alliance?
https://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-solidarity-within-the-alliance

Atlantic Voices, Volume 7, Issue 01 – January 2017
At the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July 2016, NATO and the EU issued a Joint Declaration which outlined areas for strengthened cooperation in light of common challenges to the East and South, including countering hybrid threats, enhancing resilience, defence capacity building, cyber defence, maritime security, and joint exercises. In December of the same year, they endorsed 42 concrete proposals in these seven areas of cooperation. This issue explores why it is so important that NATO and the EU work together and what their cooperation might look like in 2017.
The first article takes a look at recent developments, including the changing U.S. Administration, that affect the NATO-EU relationship. These bring challenges, but also a number of distinct leadership opportunities for the EU. The second article places the threat of hybrid warfare, faced by both NATO and the EU, in an historical perspective. Are hybrid warfare tactics now more successful than ever?
CONTENTS
NATO-EU Cooperation in 2017: Demonstrating Clarity of Purpose
Mr. Robert Baines addresses the obstacles that have been standing in the way of the implementation of the resolution, which include the lack of binding character of the text and the need for countries to develop Action Plans.
Stronger Together: Facing Threats from Outside and Within
Mr. Jordy Rutten looks at the role that reactionaries currently play in internal politics in several NATO member states and places this phenomenon in an historical perspective. Are hybrid warfare tactics now more successful than ever?
https://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/av-vol7-no-01-january-2017-final-versionpub

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 12 – December 2016
16 years ago, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted, acknowledging the important role of women in international peace and security efforts. Therefore, this edition of Atlantic Voices celebrates the efforts made by our nations’ and their aim of improving inclusiveness, by zooming in on 15 years of implementation of UNSCR 1325. NATO member states’ success of securing inclusiveness in security and defence varies greatly, and therefore we raise the following question: if preventing conflict is critical for peace, and investing in women’s rights is key to conflict prevention, why is it not yet a human rights obligation?
The first article zooms in on Resolution 1325, and its enforceability deficit. The second article then takes a closer look at one of the leading NATO nation’s implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Resolution: Canada.
Finally, this issue features an interview with Ambassador Marriët Schuurrman, the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, who argues that in order for NATO’s peace efforts to be sustainable, they must be inclusive.
CONTENTS
Assessing UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security
Ms. Yanitsa Stoeva addresses the obstacles that have been standing in the way of the implementation of the resolution, which include the lack of binding character of the text and the need for countries to develop Action Plans.
Implementation of UNSCR 1325 the Canadian Way
Ms. Mégane Visette details the efforts that have been put in place by Canada to address gender inequalities in the army and other governmental services.
NATO and the WPS Agenda: An Interview with Amb. Marriët Schuurman
Ms. Marianne Copier interviewed Amb. Marriët Schuurman about her work as NATO Special Representative for Women Peace and Security.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-implementing-unscr-1325
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 11 – November 2016
One of the Arab world’s poorest nations, Yemen has been torn apart by a civil war since 2015. Opposing forces loyal to the internationally-recognised government of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi and that of the Houthi rebel movement, the conflict also counts international components which make the situation harder to resolve. Often regarded as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it is hard to see a potential resolution of the conflict in the near future. Its continuation war contributes to the spread of terrorist networks in the region, and the ever growing number of Yemeni refugees will have a negative spill over effect on the neighboring countries.
Yet another ceasefire was announced on 19. November 2016.
The first article will focus on the power struggle entangled in the conflict; the second will focus on NATO’s ties with the Gulf region and the parties involved in the war in Yemen.
CONTENTS
A Regional Issue with International Consequences
Mr. Neil Thompson analyzes the power struggles at play in the war in Yemen, focusing on the regional implications of the conflict as well as the role NATO could play in order to contain the consequences of the situation on the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a crucial point of passage for oil exports.
NATO, Relying on Regional Actors in Yemen
Ms. Flora Pidoux studies the elements at stake in the conflict of Yemen for the Alliance, highlighting NATO’s backing and reliance on regional powers such as Saudi Arabia. The potential role the Gulf Cooperation Council could play in bringing an end to the conflict is also examined.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-yemen-a-regional-problem-with-international-consequences
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 10 – October 2016
Since its creation, NATO has tremendously changed. Starting from an Alliance that connected Western Europe with North America to deter threats coming from the USSR, NATO has come to encompass more and more members over the years. Beyond the expansion of the membership, the Allies also aimed at spreading their security ideal further, forced to acknowledge that their safety was vulnerable to the stability of other regions. With threats arising in its direct proximity, NATO thus set up the Partnership for Peace and the Mediterranean Dialogue to enhance cooperation on tackling threats arising in the broad European and North African regions.
However, NATO has become increasingly vulnerable to attacks coming from farther, as illustrated by the 9/11 attacks. In light of this, handpicked countries, referred to as ‘Partners across the Globe’, have been given preferential terms to cooperate on key security issues with NATO.
The first article discusses the partnership with Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan; the second focuses on Japan’s and South Korea’s bond with the Alliance; and the third dwells on the cooperation between the Allies, Australia and New Zealand.
CONTENTS
Shifting the Sands of the Transatlantic Bond
Mr. Roger Hilton analyzes the partnerships that tie NATO with Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan and which aims at tackling terrorism at the source.
Extending the Bond Eastward
Mrs. Floor Doppen studies the partnership between NATO, Japan and South Korea, which emerged in reaction to North Korea’s nuclear threats.
Australia and New Zealand: Pacific Countries, Atlantic Partners
Mr. Matt Bowers discusses the bond that Australia and New Zealand share with the Allies, which is based on governance similarities as well as comparable security threats and a commitment to global security.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-partners-across-the-globe-stretching-the-transatlantic-bond
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 9 – September 2016
The volatility of some of NATO’s closer neighbors has increasingly been having security implications for the Alliance. Due to its rapprochement with the West, Ukraine has captured most of the media attention, with the Alliance’s Southern Flank being pushed to the sidelines. Equally concerning, the North Coast of Africa has been going through particular turmoil, from the Arab spring to the ongoing Syrian war, which have directly affected the Euro-Atlantic with migration and terrorism.
Despite all these threats, NATO has been indirectly involved in countering them by giving more opportunity to individual countries and by backing partners of the Mediterranean Dialogue through capability building. NATO has thus been paying more attention to the South, responding to the ever growing threat of terrorism and modernization necessity. Operation Active Endeavour, the Alliance’s patrolling mission in the Mediterranean will soon be replaced by Sea Guardian, further explained in the first article.
The Libyan crisis will be the object of the second article, which aims at explaining the Alliance’s lack of involvement, despite the dramatic consequences it has for regional security.
CONTENTS
Fifteen Years of Active Endeavour: Evaluation of NATO’s Mission
Mr. Nicholas A. Glavin analyzes the results of Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean. After 15 years of service, Operation Sea Guardian will supersede in an effort to secure the Alliance’s Southern maritime front.
Libya, 5 Years Later
Mr. John G.L.J. Jacobs assesses the current situation of Libya five years after the destitution of the Qadhafi regime. Five years after the NATO-led Operation Unified Protector the Alliance is unlikely to deploy again, preferring capacity building rather than direct involvement in the civil war.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/focus-on-the-mediterranean-threats-to-the-southern-flank
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 8 – August 2016
Two years ago, the Wales Summit marked a historic turn for NATO as the Alliance was forced to recognize that its European territory was threatened for the first time in 25 years; menaces emerging from the South and the East made NATO vulnerable despite so many years of peace. The Summit in Newport in June 2014 acted as the first step of what will certainly be a long process of securing the Euro-Atlantic again. It also reasserted the fundamental values the Alliance is based on: collective defense, crisis management and cooperative security.
So, in two years, what has changed? The official communiqué of the Warsaw Summit announced that the Allies have worked together to secure the borders of NATO, while recognizing the hybrid nature of threats posed to them. Russia is then directly pointed out as challenging the security of the Alliance. This issue analyzes the focal points of the Summit: the first article focuses on the security situation in the Eastern Flank ; the second article dwells on the Alliance’s new integration of the cyber sphere as its 5th operative domain; and the last article details Macedonia’s membership prospects throughout the years.
CONTENTS
From the Warsaw Pact to the Warsaw Summit
Mr. Mateusz Krupczyński explores the evolution of the security environment of the Eastern Flank from the creation of NATO to today.
Russia’s Use of Cyber Warfare in the Conflicts in Georgia and Ukraine
Mr. Luka Mgeladze focuses on cyber security which has been largely discussed during the Summit in an effort to integrate this operative domain into the Alliance’s field of action.
Security After the Warsaw Summit – Prospects and Expectations for Macedonia
Ms. Marija Jankuloska & Mr. Ilija Djugumanov analyze Macedonia’s membership prospect and involvement in the Alliance.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-the-warsaw-summit
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 7 – July 2016
Located at the crossroad between Europe , Russia and the Middle East, and in between the Caspian and the Black Sea, the Caucasus is in a very advantageous location, which has encouraged regional powers from both the East and the West to influence it. Traditionally in Russia’s sphere of influence, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan are today split between two worlds. To the West, NATO offers stability and development, while Moscow appeals to their historical connection.
Political instability and regional tensions make this region unstable as well as very heterogeneous. Each of the countries seem to have built their own models of development and political systems. Borders are also contested in the regions, as illustrated by the two frozen conflicts of Nagorno Karabakh between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the secessionist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
This issue explores the complexity of the region: the first article focuses on the frozen conflicts; the second on Georgia’s halted access to the Alliance despite strong commitment; the third one focuses on the implications of the region for Europe’s energy security.
CONTENTS
The South Caucasus’s Still Frozen Conflits
Mr. Xavier Follebouckt explores the frozen conflicts of the region and how they are utilized by Moscow to prevent the countries from joining NATO.
Welcoming a Caucasian Guest to the Alliance?
Mr. Roger Hilton focuses on Georgia, which has widely contributed to NATO’s operations and abided to its policies but whose accession to membership to the Alliance remains uncertain due to political constraints.
Energy Security in the South Caucasus
Ms. Kamilla Solieva analyzes the importance of the South Caucasus for Europe’s energy security in times of increasing tensions with their traditional energy provider, Russia
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-nato-the-south-caucasus
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 6 – June 2016
In July 2015, a much expected nuclear deal was finally reached between Iran and the P5+1 (Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany), announcing the lifting of international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for the country’s agreement to limit its nuclear activity to energy purposes.
This issue focuses on the impact the deal has had on world security. The lifting of sanctions against Iran has acted as a game changer for the country which is now able to openly trade with world powers as well as have a voice on the international scene.
Iran is now able to export its large oil resources across the globe, notably to China and Europe, which has had negative impacts for the price of crude oil and thus for other oil exporting countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia. On top of traditionally tense relations with Riyadh, Tehran’s disregard for OPEC’s guidelines and increased influence in Syria can be expected to further contribute to the region’s instability.
Despite the deal, the nuclear threat has not disappeared and remains a concern for NATO which is in a dire need to redefine its nuclear strategy in face of Russia’s assertive attitude and other actors’ threatening attitude.
CONTENTS
One Year On: Iran and the World
Mr. Neil Thompson examines the state of Iran's relations with the major world and regional powers in the year since its nuclear deal was signed with the international community, and how the lifting of sanctions has affected regional security after Iran’s return to the international scene.
Incompatible Needs: Denuclearization vs. Nuclear Deterrence
Ms. Flora Pidoux analyses how short term security priorities are forcing NATO to revise its nuclear strategy despite the West’s support for denuclearization, arms reduction and non-proliferation.
http://fr.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-one-year-after-the-iran-nuclear-deal
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 5 - May 2016
How can NATO address new and potent security challenges with limited financial means? This is the puzzle the European Allies have been trying to solve since the resurgence of direct security threats.
The answer is simple: cooperation. Cooperative security is a key component of NATO which has been replaced by crisis management since the end of the Cold War. Today, cooperation must be brought back to the surface, a task which is difficult to achieve.
NATO members collectively have the capacity to protect the continent; however, they are reluctant to share their military capabilities with their neighbors via a supranational body, such as the UN or the EU, which could coordinate the international effort to fight off terrorism and other current dangers. The first article will analyze the efforts of each organization in regards to cooperative security.
Some cooperative programs have been put in place, notably through NATO’s Smart Defence program. The German-Netherlands cooperation, which will be discussed in the second article, is proof that international cooperation can work. There is still a long way to go before all 28 Allies follow this example.
CONTENTS
The Future of the EU’s Pooling & Sharing and NATO’s Smart Defence
Ms. Christine Andreeva compares the European Union’s and NATO’s cooperative defense strategies. Each system presents advantages and both share many similarities, however, it seems counterproductive for both to exist.
Germany and the Netherlands: Leading the Way in Defence Cooperation
Ms. Marianne Copier details the cooperative efforts implemented by the Netherlands and Germany, namely the 1 (Germany/Netherlands) Corps, in order to merge their forces and thus cut down the costs of securing Europe.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlantic-voices-cooperative-security-smart-defense-62622698
Atlantic Voices is always seeking new contributors. If you are a young researcher, subject expert or professional and feel you have a valuable contribution to make to the debate, then please get in touch. We are looking for papers, essays, and book reviews on issues of importance to the NATO Alliance.
For details of how to submit your work please and for further enquiries please contact us.

Atlantic Voices, Volume 6, Issue 04 – April 2016
Deciding to attack an opponent is often the result of a rational choice calculation whereby the gains of attacking would outweigh the associated costs. In order to prevent an attack, building a strong deterrent force is crucial to make the cost of attacking or the cost or retaliation clearly outweigh the potential gains of attacking. It is based on this idea, and mainly thanks to their nuclear weapons, that the West has been through relatively peaceful times since the end of the Second World War and despite the confrontation with Russia.
In recent years, and even though threatening NATO still risks triggering a nuclear response, Moscow maneuvers on the Alliance’s Eastern front have made the Allies recenter their scope of action back onto themselves. The way Russia is behaving does not seem rational, and it is for that reason that the Alliance must respond with care. At the same time, NATO must respond to the security dilemma Russia created: deterrence must be reinforced.
The first article of this publication focuses on NATO’s deterrence strategy on the Eastern flank of the Alliance, while the second analyses Exercise Trident Juncture, NATO’s largest exercise since 1998.
CONTENTS
Deterrence on the Eastern Flank
Mr. Patrick Curran analyzes how deterrence has been a core element of NATO’s strategy during the Cold War but had been put to the side until a few years ago with the worrisome developments to the Alliance’s Eastern Flank. It appears that despite many efforts, NATO’s deterrence is not yet powerful enough to face a potential attack.
Trident Juncture and the Return of Large Scale Exercises
Mr. Francisco Costa focuses on Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 which marked the return large scale exercises. Outlined in the Wales Declaration, this exercise appears to be the first step of many new initiatives currently being put in place by the Allies and aiming to reinforce the security of the Euro-Atlantic.
http://www.slideshare.net/Atlantictreatyassociation/atlatic-voices-nato-military-exercises-and-deterrence

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The Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) is an organization of 38 national chapters that, since 1954 has been conducting analyses, training, education, and information activities on foreign affairs and security issues relevant to the Atlantic Alliance. ATA draws together political leaders, diplomats, civilian and military officers, academics, economic actors as well as young professionals and students in an effort to further the values set forth in the North Atlantic Treaty.